Tom Latham yesterday led New Zealand’s solid response with an unbeaten 111 against Sri Lanka’s first-innings total of 244 on the third day of the second and final Test in Colombo.
The tourists, trailing 1-0 in the series after Sri Lanka won the opener in Galle, reached 196-4 in their first innings, trailing the hosts by 48 runs on a pitch offering sharp turn for the spinners.
Latham and B.J. Watling, who was not out on 25, were at the crease and have added 70 for the unbroken fifth wicket to boost New Zealand.
Captain and batting mainstay Kane Williamson fell cheaply again, guiding paceman Lahiru Kumara to slip to be out for 20 after scoring just 4 in two innings in Galle. Experienced batsman Ross Taylor made 23.
Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera dismissed Henry Nicholls for 15 to reduce New Zealand to 126-4 at one stage, but Latham and Watling kept them at bay for the rest of the final session.
Latham, whose highest Test score of 264 not out came against Sri Lanka in December last year, brought up his 10th Test hundred with a boundary through midwicket off Perera.
After rain allowed just 66 overs of play on the first two days, Dhananjaya de Silva struck his fifth Test hundred to help Sri Lanka post a respectable total.
Seamer Trent Boult, who had dropped an easy return catch from De Silva on Friday when he was on 9, dismissed the batsman for 109 to pick up his third wicket of the innings.
Boult’s pace bowling colleague Tim Southee was the most successful bowler for New Zealand with figures of 4-63.
THE ASHES
AFP, LEEDS, England
Marnus Labuschagne yesterday missed out on a maiden Test hundred, but still batted Australia into an even more commanding position against England as they looked to retain the Ashes at Headingley.
Labuschagne top-scored with 80 in Australia’s second-innings 246 on the third day of the third Test.
It was his third successive fifty since being drafted in as world cricket’s inaugural concussion substitute in place of Australia star batsman Steve Smith during the second innings of the drawn second Test at Lord’s.
England were left needing a mammoth 359 for victory in a match where a win for Australia would see them retain the Ashes at 2-0 up with two to play in a five-Test series.
Only three sides have made more than 300 to win in the fourth innings of a Test at Headingley — Australia (404-3 in 1948), England (315-4 against Australia in 2001) and the West Indies with 322-5 two years ago.
At lunch, England were 11-0.
That they survived four overs without losing a wicket was greeted by ironic cheers from a sun-drenched crowd following England’s woeful 67 in their first innings.
Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood on Friday took five wickets as England were skittled out with their lowest Ashes total in 71 years.
It was also the fourth time in 18 months that England had been dismissed for less than 100 in a Test.
Australia resumed on 171-6, already 283 runs ahead, with Labuschagne 53 not out.
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